Photos: Reaction as Missouri Supreme Court keeps abortion amendment on the November ballot
Anti- and pro- abortion supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court of Missouri on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 as judges heard arguments then ruled that Amendment 3,聽a constitutional聽amendment聽to legalize聽abortion,聽should appear on the statewide ballot in November, allowing voters to decide the issue.
鈥淟egal and right isn鈥檛 always the same,鈥 said Bonnie Lee of Columbia, center, who came to the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City to oppose placing Amendment 3 on the November ballot on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. 鈥淭he battle is always there, the evil never stops,鈥 Lee said of the court鈥檚 ruling to allow the issue to be placed on the ballot.
Chuck Hatfield, an attorney for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, argues before the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City as the court hears a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
Missouri Supreme Court Judge W. Brent Powell asks questions of attorneys, seated beside Chief Justice Mary R. Russell on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City as the court hears a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
Mary Catherine Martin of the conservative Thomas More Society argues for abortion opponents before the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City as the court hears a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary R. Russell asks questions of attorneys as the court hears a case on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Jefferson City questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
Joshua Divine represents the Secretary of State鈥檚 office as he argues before the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City as the court hears a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
The gallery fills inside Division 1 of the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City before the court hears arguments in a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
The Missouri Supreme Court takes the bench on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City to hear a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban will remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot. From left are Judges Kelly C. Broniec, Robin Ransom, W. Brent Powell, Chief Justice Mary R. Russell, Zel. M. Fischer, Paul C. Wilson and Ginger K. Gooch.
Mary Catherine Martin, center, of the conservative Thomas More Society, is surrounded by abortion opponents as she speaks to the media Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Jefferson City after arguing before the Missouri Supreme Court to remove Amendment 3 from the November ballot.
Abortion opponents stand outside the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, as Chuck Hatfield, center left, an attorney for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, leaves court after arguing before judges to keep Amendment 3 on the November ballot.
Abortion opponents stand outside the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 as they await the end of a hearing where the court heard a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state鈥檚 abortion ban would remain on the state鈥檚 November ballot.
Mary Catherine Martin of the conservative Thomas More Society, is surrounded by abortion opponents as she speaks to media after arguing before the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City to remove Amendment 3 from the November ballot on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey heads back to his office in the Missouri Supreme Court building after talking with abortion opponents about Amendment 3 in Jefferson City on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. The Supreme Court heard arguments for and against keeping the amendment issue on November鈥檚 ballot.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey heads back to his office in the Missouri Supreme Court building after talking with abortion opponents about Amendment 3 across from the State Capitol in Jefferson City on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. The Supreme Court heard arguments for and against keeping the amendment issue on November鈥檚 ballot.
Abortion opponents hear the news that the Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City ruled to allow Amendment 3 on the November ballot on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.
Amendment 3 supporters Luz Maria Henriquez, second from left, executive director of the ACLU Missouri, and Mallory Schwarz, center, of Abortion Action Missouri, celebrate with others Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Jefferson City after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that Amendment 3 to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution would stay on the November ballot.
Robert Cohen
Staff Photographer
A majority of the seven-member court ruled that the measure should stay on the ballot.
